Glass membrane keyboard switch assembly for domestic appliance

A keyboard switch assembly for a domestic appliance comprising:

• a rigid, transparent substrate having first and second sides;
• a layer of paint disposed on said first side of said substrate;
• a flexible polymer layer disposed on said second side of said substrate;
• a first conductive layer disposed on said flexible polymer layer;
• a solid electrically insulating spacing layer disposed above said first conductive layer and having an aperture therein, said aperture defining a switch contact area;
• a second conductive layer disposed on said spacing layer and spaced from said first conductive layer by said spacing layer;
• and
• a glass top layer disposed on said second conductive layer, said glass top layer being sufficiently thin to flex causing said second conductive layer to contact said first conductive layer within said switch contact area when an area of said glass top layer located above said switch area is touched.

A keyboard switch assembly for a domestic appliance comprising:

• a rigid substrate;
• a first conductive layer disposed on said substrate;
• a solid electrically insulating spacing layer disposed above said first conductive layer and having an aperture therein, said aperture defining a switch contact area;
• a second conductive layer disposed on said spacing layer and spaced from said first conductive layer by said spacing layer;
• a layer of paint disposed on said second conductive layer;
• and
• a glass top layer disposed on said paint layer, said glass top layer being sufficiently thin to flex causing said second conductive layer to contact said first conductive layer within said switch contact area when an area of said glass top layer located above said switch contact area is touched.

A keyboard switch assembly for a domestic appliance comprising:

• a rigid, transparent substrate having first and second sides;
• a layer of paint disposed on said first side of said substrate;
• a first conductive layer disposed on said second side of said substrate;
• a solid electrically insulating spacing layer disposed above said first conductive layer and having an aperture therein, said aperture defining a switch contact area;
• a second conductive layer disposed on said spacing layer and spaced from said first conductive layer by said spacing layer;
• and
• a glass top layer disposed on said second conductive layer, said glass top layer being sufficiently thin to flex causing said second conductive layer to contact said first conductive layer within said switch contact area when an area of the glass top layer located above said switch contact area is touched.